The present invention relates generally to methods of processing substrates by applying short laser pulses to the substrates and the resultant structured substrates.
A variety of techniques are known for generating small-sized features on solid substrate surfaces, such as semiconductor surfaces. Some examples of these techniques include lithography and chemical etching that provide control over the shape and the size of the structures. However, such techniques are often complex and costly. Pulsed laser-assisted etching is another technique for fabricating small structures directly onto a substrate. The typical sizes of such structures are, however, larger than the laser wavelength.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods for generating small-sized features on a substrate surface.